ORIGIN

Optimized Driver: 1957 MG Magnette ZB

4/18/2011 Update: The seller has marked this MG as sold.

From 4/15/2011:

This 1957 MG Magnette sedan is a model that is usually passed up and hard to find in good condition. This one is adequately shined up, but more importantly features later MGB power and disk brakes for some much improved Safety Fast. TR6 steel wheels and a Saab interior are some more mods that we never would have thought to install, but they work for this budget touring sedan. Find it here on the MG Experience in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina for $6300. Special thanks to BaT reader James H. for this submission!

The seller bought the car 9 years ago with the engine already installed, but he added the body strip and paint job. We like the lights and trim work, and the trim rings and center caps of the steel wheels works well but the positive front camber is a bit off-putting. Can that be resolved easily?

The dash wood was restored and the door panels were added to match the leather Saab seats. The stock wheel is a keeper and the round gauge buried down in the lower dash is a cool feature.

The engine bay is clean enough at this price point and looks like it should be fine for road driving. This is a massive upgrade over the stock powerplant, and if an overdrive transmission could be added it would be even better for all-around use.

This is a cool driver for events and practical people hauling. It doesn’t make sense to take it to much cleaner original condition, but would be easy to enjoy as-is or with a few minot tweaks. Much of the fun would be running it in events where you are the only Magnette there. Check out the seller’s additional photos here on Picasa.